Radio receiving set



Oct. 10, 1939. H. A. mfiz 2,175,561

RADIO RECEIVING SET Original Filed Nov. 15, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVAENTOR yway/1331712 M"; $1M

ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Shet 2 Original Filed Nov. 15, 1933 EEEEEEEEEEEE Ill i- INVENTOR gen/q 19175172 ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1939. n-z 2,175,561

RADIO RECEIVING SET Original Filed Nov. 15, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1939. H. A. FRITZ RADIO RECEIVING SET Original Filed Nov. 15, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 r m m mi A m K WW an Wi i 5 F QE F s f @W @w A MSN m mm NS \FNWN @E H. A. FRITZ mm RECEIVING s51 Original Filed' Nov. 15, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVIENT flair QR y 77172 BY ATTORN EYS Emma Oct. 10, 1939. H. A. FRITZ RADIO RECEIVING SET Original Filed Nov. 15, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Z Wm M W E YO um Qwrrr rr \ANN Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATE5 FATENT OFFICE Application November 15, 1933, Serial No. 698,030 Renewed August 5, 1938 17 Claims.

This invention relates generally to radio receiving sets and has particular reference to controls for selecting broadcasting stations and controlling the volume of such sets.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction which includes a set of control membars which may be adjusted to set up a program of broadcasting stations and which will thereafter automatically adjust the receiving set to bring in the selected stations in a fixed sequence. An advantage of the construction is that the control members may be so adjusted that the receiving set will be automatically turned 01f when it is desired to omit part of a program, or they may be so adjusted that the same station will be automatically continued for any desired length of time.

Another object is to provide a construction in which operation of the program mechanism may be controlled by a clock. The program mechanism may be adjusted to start the program at any desired time under control of the clock and thereafter the entire predetermined program may, if desired, be left under the control of the clock.

Another object is to provide a means for regulating the volume according to the power of the various stations. This may be made a part of the program devices above mentioned.

Another object is to provide a station selecting mechanism which can be used independently of the above mentioned automatic program control when it is desired to select stations without any reference to the adjustment of the control members.

Another object is to provide a volume control which can be adjusted to control the volume independently for each station or to regulate the volume simultaneously for all stations.

Still another and incidental object is to provide a construction which is simple in the mechanism employed and which is not subject to accidental damage or displacement of parts in its operation,

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which will be apparent later on, the invention consists in a novel construction and relation of parts and electrical connections, a preferred embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings and the novel features of which are pointed out in the claims appended to and forming a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a receiving set which contains some of the control and selecting mechanism comprised in the invention.

Fig. 2 is a left-hand side View of the mechanism provided for controlling the selecting and volume mechanism by a clock. 5

Fig. 3 is a front view of the clock controlled disc which in turn controls the station selecting mechanism, also the mechanism for regulating the light beam which through suitable devices causes operation of the station selecting mechal0 nism.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism for setting up a program and some of the mechanism for operating the program devices to effect station selecting. 15

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 shows on a larger scale the mechanism appearing near the center of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'l'! of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a detail of one of the contact members forming a part of the program devices shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a group of details of the sliding station selecting device shown in Fig. 8 and elsewhere.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the solenoid mechanism used for the brake mechanism employed for holding the station selecting and volume control devices in adjusted position.

Fig. 10A is a detail of one of the springs shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 11 is a front view on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10 and shows details of the station selecting and volume control mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line !2 l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 shows in detail some of the parts of the brake operating and releasing mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a view partly in section of one of the solenoid operated stops for determining the adjustment of the station selecting and volume con trol devices.

Fig, 15 is a detail of a solenoid operated stop where the same stop is employed for several different stations.

Fig. 16 is a front view of the start and stop mechanism employed for placing the receiving set in operation and also shows details of the motor driven control mechanism for regulating different functions in the receiving set.

Fig. 1'? is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 16, with the on key pressed in.

Fig. 18 is a section on the line l8l8 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a view along the line l9|9 of Fig. 17 and shows the solenoid or magnet controlling operations of the motor and of the device which is usually referred to herein as the cycle r1ng.

Fig. 20 is a wiring diagram showing how various parts of the mechanism are connected and controlled.

The embodiment shown in the drawings 1s of a device which includes a control by a clock to select stations automatically according to a previously set up program device. It also includes devices which can be adjusted to effect station selecting independently of the program devices and in one form includes a remote control which is connected by suitable wiring to push buttons or keys which may be at some distance from the receiving set. These remote control push buttons and their connections may be employed for turning the receiving set on and off and may also be connected for use in eifecting station selection. For this purpose push buttons orkeys may be provided in the receiving set, each forming a part of a solenoid or magnet operating device which is connected to the remote control, so that by pushing the buttons or keys at the remote control the receiving set is regulated in the same way as by the buttons or keys in the receiving set.

Stated in a general way the apparatus includes a clock 25 which may be of any desired kind, although it is preferred to use an electrically operated clock of the alarm type. Rigid with the minute hand of the clock is a disc 26, Fig. 20, provided with a slot 2i for each fifteen (15) minutes of a one hour period. These slots are part of an electric eye apparatus comprising the lamp 28, and slotted plates 2% and 3B which are fixed to suitable stationary support, and a plate 3! which is also slotted and is adjustable to regulate the width of the beam passing from the light 28 through the slots in the plate 29, disc 26 and plate 353. The plate 3! may be adjusted by the hand screw mechanism 24 shown in Fig. 3. The light from the lamp passing through the various slots mentioned strikes the selenium cell 32 to cause an electric impulse which brings various parts into play as hereinafter described. The lamp 28 also serves as a pilot light to indicate whether or not the receiving set has been turned on. For this purpose two color filters 33 are employed and the light passing through them is visible at the opening 34 in Fig. 1.

When the selenium cell is rendered effective by the light ray from the lamp 28 it immediately causes a step movement of what is usually referred to herein as the program device. This program device is preferably separate from the receiving set proper, but is connected by a set of wires to the set through an opening (not shown) in the casing enclosing the set. The program device includes a disc 35, Figs. 4 and 5, rotatable in a circular opening in a plate 36 attached to a base or foundation plate 31. Supports for the disc 35 extend up from the plate By this construction the disc 35 is freely rotatable by hand to various positions, and may be latched or retained in those positions in any suitable way.

Around the inner edge of the disc 35 is an indicator 39 marked to represent quarter hours. Each time indication is in line with a division extending radially of the disc. In the construction shown the indicator 39 contains all of the quarter hour divisions for a twelve hour program,

Fixed to the plate 35 is an indicator 42 bearing the names of broadcasting stations and figures representing the frequency of the respective stations. This indicator is to guide the operator in setting up a program.

The disc is provided with a radial slot for each fifteen minute time division and each of these slots contains a contact bar or rod 44. Movable along each of these rods is a sliding contact unit or member 55 (shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9). In setting up the program the disk is turned manually to bring one of the radial slots to the position Fig. 4, parallel with the edge of the indicator 42. The contact device 35 is then shifted along the member M until a portion ll of the device is in line with the indication of the station which it is desired to hear at the particular time indicated. The sliding contact member 45 consists of three parts, one being a rectangular sleeve 5i, a member 52 having a portion il formed to extend through a slot in the member 5i, and a member 55 fit ting within the lower part of El and formed to provide a contact spring El extending below the member M. The organization of the unit 45 comprising the parts 5i, and 55 is such as to provide friction against the bar 44 suflicient to hold the contact spring 5'5 in any position to which it may have been adjusted.

It might be stated here that when a contact member .5 is moved inward as far as it will go it will not form a control connection but will simply be at a neutral point. This makes it possible to skip one or more time indications in setting up a program and the station last brought in will continue to be heard from until a time division is reached in which a contact device 45 ias been adjusted into a station selecting position. It should also be stated here that when a contact device is adjusted outward as far as it will go the receiving set will be turned ofi when that time division is reached.

The devices G5 make their electrical contact through a series of circular and concentrically arranged members which are preferably embedded in a circular plate 62 of insulating material. Each of these rings iii is connected by suitable wiring to one of the stops mentioned later on for the station selecting devices. The wiring includes contact springs fixed to the base 37, which base also is of insulating material.

The contact bars or rods 24 are held in position in the radial slots of the disc 35 by the devices illustrated in Fig. 8. These consist of a plate 64 and a member E55 which are fastened by screws or the like to the inner and outer edges respectively of the disc. The plate 64 has an opening to engage a formed over end 67 on the bar while the member has an opening 68 which may be first engaged with a notch 69 in the bar and then secured by a screw or the like to the outer edge of the disc 35. This construction provides a rigid alignment and firm support for the bars 44 and is so arranged as to permit convenient assembling and disassembling for repair or replacement of contacts.

The mechanism for imparting a step-bystep station selecting connection through the station selector disc will next be described. This mechanism includes a gear l2 of insulating material engaging the formed ends ill of the bars 6 3. Each time the gear i2 is turned one step it will turn a unit of which the gear i2 is a part so as to move a contact spring from engagement with the end of one station bar 44 into the engagement with the next adjacent bar. In this way the next selected station will be brought in by adjustment of the station selecting devices in the receiving set referred to later on, or if the control member 45 at the next adjacent station is at the innermost or neutral position the station already coming in will be left on. On the other hand, if the control member 45 is at its outermost position the receiving set will be turned off.

The mechanism for operating the gear I2 includes a lantern gear I4 journaled on a stud projecting from a base plate 82. The lantern gear I4 is actuated by a, pawl I6 pivoted on an arm 'I'I extending from a member I8 pivoted at "I9 to the base plate 82. Extending from the member I8 is a stud 83 engaging slots in a pair of members 84 and 135 pivoted respectively at B6 and 81 to the base plate 82. A spring 9| tends at all times to hold the members 84 and 85 in the positions shown in Fig. 6. Connected to two arms 92 and 93 integral with the members 84 and 35 are links 34 and 95 extending from armatures 96 and 91 cooperating with a magnet 98. When the magnet is energized the arms 92 and 93 are moved inward and the spring 9| compressed. This movement will cause the slots surrounding the stud 83 to rock the member I8 and impart a feeding movement to the pawl I6 and thereby rotate the gear I2 and move the contact spring I3 to the next station selector bar 44. An air dash pct ID! of any usual construction may be used to prevent too sudden a movement of the arms 92 and 93 by the magnet 98, thereby preventing an overthrow of the gear I2 when the magnet acts to turn the gear.

It should be made clear at this point that when the operator is setting up a program on the disc 35 the disc may be turned by hand and the lantern gear I4 will simply ratchet over the pawl It in case the pawl should be in contact with the lantern gear. It is preferred, however, to arrange the parts so that the pawl will not be in engage ment with the pins of the lantern gear when the parts are in their normal or unoperated positions, thereby preventing interference with movement of the disc 35 when it is adjusted by hand in setting up the program. Adjustable stops 99 may be used to arrest the return movements of the members 92 and 93 and thereby determine the home position of the pawl 16,

The magnet 98 for operating the station selector feed pawl I6 is energized directly from the selenium cell 32. For this purpose the cell is connected by means including a lead IE5, Fig. to a contact ring I06 (see also Figs. 5 and 7) on the bottom of a turn table IO'I which supports the magnet 98 and the feed pawl operating mechanism associated therewith. This ring is electrically connected to the contact '33. The magnet is also connected by a lead I58 to another ring I935 on the bottom of the turn table I31. The rings I535 and I03 run in engagement with two spring contacts I I I and I I2 which are on the base 3'? and are electrically connected through the cell and. magnet 93 with the lead I55, a lead I3 electrically connected as at H4 to the negative side of the transformer circuit. When the light ray strikes the selenium cell the magnet 58 causes a feeding movement of the pawl "I6 to turn the table It}? engage the contact l3 with the next adjacent contact bar 45. If the selector contact 35 has been adjusted away from a neutral position the station selecting mechanism hereinafter mentioned will be actuated to turn to a station different from the last one. If the device 35 is at a neutral position then the last station will remain on to continue the program from that station.

The operating mechanism for selecting the stations and for controlling the volume is illustrated in detail principally in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive. The station selecting mechanism will be first described. It comprises an arm II5 extending from a plate H6 attached by bolts or studs II? and H8 to a gear II9 which is fastened to a shaft I20. The studs III and IIS are connected respectively by links I2I and I22 to the free ends of arms I23 and I24 forming part of the mechanism for operating the arm I I5. The arms I23 and I24 are fastened to devices I25 and I26 terminating in knife edges I27 and I28. Also secured to the members i25 and I26 are arms I33 and I34, so that the arms I23 and I33 will always move together as a unit. The arm I33 is connected a link I36 to a lever I3! resting upon the bevel or knife edge I21 and under a similar stationary bevel or knife edge I43. The lever I31 is connected to the armature I4I of a magnet or a solenoid I42. The arm I38 is connected in the same way as just described to an armature IE4 of a solenoid or magnet I45. Stops I43 in the of the members I25, I26 arrest movements of the members and cause the knife edges I21, I23 to serve as supports for the arms I37 and I38 when the armature I4! or the armature M is drawn downward by the corresponding coil. From the foregoing it wili be seen that the arm I 55 may be swung around the shaft I20 in either direction from the vertical position in which it is shown in Fig. 11, by energizing either the magnet E2 or the magnet M5.

Meshing with the gear H9 is a gear M1 attached to the usual shaft I48 for station selecting in a radio receiving set. Turning the gear I41 will, therefore, give the same results as though the station selecting knob I5I is operated by hand.

The arm H5 is arrested in dilferent positions by plunger-s I55, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 14. Each plunger is secured to an armature I56 which is normally held away from a magnet I51 by a spring I58. When the magnet I5I is energized the end of the plunger I55 is caused to project into the path of the arm H5. These magnets are each in the circuit with one of the station selectors comprising the adjustable device 45 on the bar 44 so that when the turn table I! is actuated one step the plunger 2'55 corresponding to the selected station will be caused to project into position to arrest the control arm H5.

The magnets I42 and I45 for swinging the arm II are each in series with (in the construction shown) half of the magnets I57 for operating the stop plungers I55. That is to say, referring to Fig. 11, the magnets for the plunger I55 shown at the right of the arm H5 in Fig. 11 are each in series with the magnet I42 while the ones at the left of the arm H5 are in series with the magnet I45. From this it is clear that when the adjustable contact 51 makes the circuit through one of the rings 6i and the associated contact 63 the proper stop plunger magnet will be energized and the corresponding magnet i i? or 35 will also be energized to swing the arm I I5 until arrested by the projecting stop plunger I55.

Mechanism is provided for swinging the arm II5 to the neutral position in which it is shown in Fig. 11 when the receiving set is off and between adjustments of the arm by the magnets I42 and I45. This is effected by oppositely wound clock springs I6I and I62, Fig. 12. The spring IEI is shown in detail in Fig. 10A. At their inner ends these springs are secured to separate adjusting sleeves I10 and I'll the latter being telescoped within the former and provided with set screws for clamping the sleeves or collars to the shaft I 26 to secure proper relation of the springs. At their outer ends these springs are each formed to provide a hook I 68 to engage a pin I 59 projecting from a. stationary mounting plate I13. When the arm II5 is swung away from vertical position either the spring IBI or the spring I52 will be tensioned and when the arm is released the tensioned spring will restore the arm to its neutral position.

In order to prevent swinging the arm H5 at an excessive speed the shaft I25 carries an arm I3I (Fig. 12) suitably connected to the casing 582 of an air dash pot provided with a regulating valve I83. In the casing I82 is a piston I84 connected to a stationary stud I85 so that when the shaft I 20 is rocked the casing I 82 will be moved relative to the piston thereby slowing down the operation of the shaft and the parts attached to or connected thereto.

Mechanism is provided for holding the arm 5 55 in adjusted position after a station is selected and until the next station selecting adjustment. This mechanism is in the form of a brake or lock operated to set and release the brake by two magnets. Meshing with the gear i5? is a gear IQI freely rotatable around a shaft I92.

At the sides of the gear I9! are friction plates I93 and I94, each of these plates having a hole or perforation engaging a pin I95 projecting from the mounting plate I13. At the outer end of the shaft I52 is a set nut I95 which may be used to adjust the friction or grip to be applied by the brake; this friction or adjustment being brought about by an endwise movement of the shaft l92.

This endwise movement of the shaft is eifected by a toggle mechanism actuated by endwise movement in one direction or the other of a bar 25'! carrying at its ends armatures 202 and 253 cooperating respectively with magnets 2M and 255.

The toggle mechanism referred to includes a bracket 255 secured to the mounting plate Hi3 and connected by a link 25'! to the bar 25!. Another link 2253 connects the bar 20! to the rod or shaft lQZ. When the magnet 255 is energized :the bar 255 will be drawn toward the magnet and the toggle 258 will be straightened to pull the shaft I92 and nut I 93 thereon toward the stationary mounting plate I13, thereby causing the nut to press the gear I9I and friction plates E53 and 34 together to hold the gear I|9I and, consequently, the arm H5 in adjusted position. When the arm is to be set to a different position the magnet 255 is deenergized and the magnet 25 i energized to break the toggle and free the gear till so that the arm II5 will be left free for adjustment or return to neutral position. The connections for selectively energizing the magnets 294 and 25 will be referred to later on.

The volume control mechanism is the same in principle and operation as the station selecting mechanism just described, the principal differences being that the volume control arm IESA swings in one direction only, and, consequently, only one magnet 2I0 and one return spring (like it!) is needed. In order to make the mechanism more compact, however, it is preferred to use, wherever possible, a single volume control stop I55A for several stations. This means that the multi-winding construction illustrated in Fig. 15 may be used, the illustration in that figure showing the winding for operating the stop I55 from each of three station connections.

The same mechanism as has been described in connection with the arm I I5 is used for setting and releasing a brake for the volume control arm I WA. This mechanism is shown at the right of Fig. 10 and need not be described in detail.

In order to make it possible to adjust the volume control with greater nicety it is preferred to have all of the volume control stops I55A mounted on a segment 2I2 which is movable about the center IQBA with reference to the volume control arm II5A. Attached to the dge of the segment 2I2 is a rack 2H3 engaging a worm gear 2M on a shaft which carries at its outer end a hand knob 2I5 for turning the shaft to adjust the segment 2I2 to regulate the volume control as a unit. For instance in a residence a low volume for all stations is desirable While other places may require a louder volume for all stations. Manipulation of the knob 255 makes such adjustment or regulation convenient and very effective.

Energizing and de-energizing the brake magnets 254 and 255 is controlled by what is for convenience referred to as a cycle drum. This drum. is operated for a full turn by a separate motor whenever a new station is brought in by the step-by-step movement of the turn table I07 and contact '55 thereon. This cycle drum is shown in Figs. 17 and 18. It consists of a cylindrical portion 22I carrying on its surface five partial rings or segments for different purposes. Of these the segment 222 controls a switch 2H5 (Fig. 20) for energizing the brake mechanism by throwing in the magnet 205, Fig. 10, while the segment 223 controls a switch 25 l for energizing the mag net 255 to release the brakes and allow the arms H5 and l 65A first to return to neutral, if necessary, and then be swung to their new positions.

Energizing the magnets I52, I45 and 2M for swinging the arms H5 and i I5A of the station selecting and volume control devices is controlled as to time by a segment 2I8 on the cycle drum 22I and a switch ZIS (Fig. 20) cooperating with the segment. The arrangement is such that the arms M5 and II5A are swung immediately after the brakes are released by the magnet 2M and the arms returned to neutral by the springs I6I and I62.

The cycle drum ZZI is rotated by a make and break apparatus of the bell ringing type comprising a magnet 225, Fig. 18, and an armature 22'! attached to a lever 228 pivoted at 229 on a fixed arm or bracket 235. Pivoted on the lever are two pawls and 234. When the magnet 226 is energized the lever 228 will be swung around its pivot by the magnet and a return spring 235 under the control of the make and break contact 2%, thereby causing the pawls 233 and 234 alternately to engage and actuate a toothed disc 2M rigid with a gear 252 meshing with a gear 243. The gear last mentioned is fastened to a shaft 255 to which the drum 22E is secured. The mechanism and connections for causing the magnet 225 to actuate the cycle drum are so constructed and arranged that the drum will automatically come to a stop after the drum has been given one complete turn.

The cycle drum is normally given its turn each time that one of the slots 21 in the disc 26 comes in alignment with the ray from the lamp 28, Figs. 3 and 20, although other means are provided for causing a turn of the drum 22I under certain conditions where the clock control is not suflicient. These other means will be described at another point.

When the disc 26 is turned to a position where one of the slots 21 permits the light rays to strike the selenium cell 32 the motor magnet 226 is energized through connections including the positive lead 22' and the negative lead 228I (Fig. 20). This starts the motor 226 and energizes a magnet 229 I. The magnet 229I operates a switch designated generally by 230I to close the contact or switch and the first movement of the motor 226 causes the cycle drum 22I to start its rotation. A segment or partial ring 23I on the cycle drum closes a switch designated generally as 232 to complete the circuit and continue the motor in operation until the cycle drum 22I has completed one full turn to open the switch 232. By the time the switch 232 has opened, the slot 21 will have been carried into position to prevent the light ray from striking the selenium cell 32 but the magnet 2291 will remain energized because of the fact that its coil is in circuit with the motor and connected directly to the transformer circuit. The switch 23M is therefore held closed until the cycle ring 23I has completed its full turn and allowed the switch 232 to open to interrupt the circuit. This will bring the motor 226 to a stop.

The construction shown in the drawings comprises a key which can be used to bring the con tact I3, Fig. 6, into engagement with any desired one of the contact bars 44. This key designated 248 in the drawings is preferably located in the receiving set but may be made a part of a remote control mentioned later, or may be made a part of the program device shown in Fig. 4. Each time the key 248 (Figs. 1 and 1'7) is depressed the motor 226, Fig. 18, is operated to cause a complete cycle of movement of the cycle drum 22I and the magnet 96, Fig. 6, of the program mechanism is actuated to turn the gear I2, and, thereby, the contact I3 one division. The key 248 forms part of the core of a solenoid, the coil 249 of which is energized after the key is depressed to hold the key depressed until the cycle drum has made a complete turn. The electrical connections are illustrated in Fig. 20. The lead 252 is connected to the positive side of the transformer circuit and terminates in a switch element 253. Adjacent to the element 253 is an element 254 connected to a lead 255 which is connected at 256 to the motor lead 22'II previously mentioned. The negative lead 2281 from the motor is connected at I229 to the negative lead H4 previously mentioned. Operation or depression of the key 248 will bring about other results mentioned later, but will also cause the two switch elements 253 and 254 to come into electrical contact, thereby establishing a driving circuit through the motor. The coil 249 is energized through a switch element 26I connected to the coil by a lead 262, but the circuit through the coil is not completed until the cycle drum has turned. far enough to close the switch 232 previously mentioned. This completion of the circuit through the coil is effected by an extension 263 of one of the arms of the switch 232, this extension engaging another arm 264 on an auxiliary switch and raising it to make electrical contact with another arm 265 to complete the circuit through the coil, the circuit having otherwise been completed by engagement of the inner end of the key 248 with a switch element 266.

A leaf spring 261, Fig. 17, is moved by the key 243 and applies a. yielding pressure to the four switch elements 26I, 253, 254, and 266 to force the elements into close electrical contact. When the key 248 is released and the coil 249 is deenergized the spring 261 will restore the key and allow the four switch elements to return to their normal or separated positions to break the respective circuits.

The construction shown in the drawings includes a set of station keys 300 which are preferably mounted in the casing of the receiving set. There is one of these buttons for each of the principal broadcasting stations. Depression of a button will set the corresponding stop I55 previously mentioned and will also energize either the magnet I42 or the magnet I45 to swing the station setting arm H5 in the proper direction until arrested by the set stop. The key will also close the contacts to cause the cycle drum 22I to make a complete turn and will also actuate the pawl I6 to turn the gear I2 on the turn table IN. This latter operation will, however, be an inefiective one because preparatory to using the station keys 300 all of the program selecting devices 45 should always be moved to inner or neutral positions. It is obvious, of course, that the program device might be omitted and the station keys 306 only relied upon in selecting the broadcasting stations.

While the keys 306 have been shown mounted in the casing of the receiving set it is obvious that they might be located at a point removed from the receiving set and connected up by suitable Wiring to the station selecting and volume control arms H5 and II5A and the stops I55 and I55A associated with those arms. This remote control is indicated conventionally by the keys 300A and wiring connections illustrated in the lower right corner of Fig 20. Each of the keys 300A is constructed to close a circuit through a solenoid coil which will cause the corresponding key 300 to be drawn down to efiective position just the same as though the key 300 was depressed by hand. In other words, the keys 306 may be operated directly by finger pressure or they may be operated by pressing the corresponding remote control key 300A.

The solenoid coil energized by depression of a key 303A is designated 353 in the drawings. Positioned opposite the inner end of the key 300 are five switch contacts which are forced together to close their circuits in much the same manner as described in connection with the delayed start key 248. The details of this construction are shown in Figs. 1'7 and 20. The end of the key 300 contacts a spring 305 which when flexed by movement of the key will press the five switch contact leaves or members into electrical contact. Of these leaves, 3H] and 3| I complete the circuit through the coil 3 I2 and energize the coil to hold the key in depressed or operated position. The leaf or switch member 3I3 completes the circuit through the associated solenoids for setting the proper stops I55 for a station selecting and volume control and also energizes one or the other of the magnets I42, I45 to swing the station selecting arm I I5 and eiiect operation of the motor 226 and cycle drum 22I in the manner previously explained. This movement of the cycle drum will release and set the brakes for the arms I I5 and !!5A in the same way as previously explained in connection with operation under the control of the program device. The switch blades 3!5 and 3l6 close the circuit to cut out the senenium cell 32 in operations where the station keys 308 are depended upon for station selection.

The receiving set has two keys which may be operated to turn theset on and off. These keys are designated respectively 32! and 322. The on key or button will close the circuit from the power line and the off button 322 will open it to shut down the receiving set. In addition the set may be turned on by the remote control key 325, Fig. 20, which will close the circuit and enersize a coil 326 to draw the solenoid core 32'! inward. The solenoid core carries a pin 328 on the outside of alever 329 pivoted at 33!] to a stationary bracket 33!. The bracket 33! carries one-half of each of two circuit closing switches, the corresponding pair of switch elements being carried by the pivoted arm 329. One pair of the contacts designated 335, Fig. 20, is to complete an energizing circuit through the coil 326 while the other pair 336 completes the main line circuit to place the set in operation. In Fig. 17, the parts are shown in the positions they occupy when the key 325 has beenpushed in or has been drawn in by operation of the solenoid 326. The key is retained in its inner or depressed position by a spring pressed latching pawl 33'! pivoted on the forward end of an arm 338, this arm being pivoted at 339 to a lug 34!] on a stationary part of the frame work. When the key 32! is pushed in, the pawl 331 is fixed against its spring by a lug 343 on the pivoted arm 329 until the key has moved far enough to close the switch contacts, whereupon the pawl will be moved by its spring above the lug 343 to hold the key inv its inner position. The receiving set may also be turned on by a modification of an alarm mechanism in the clock 25. This may be accomplished in any suitable Way and is, therefore, represented conventionally at 356 in the upper left hand corner of Fig, 20. When the switch 356 is closed by the clock the coil 326 will be energized and will, through the connections previously described, pull on key 32! to its inner position and close the contacts 335 and 336, Fig. 20.

The receiving set may be turned off by manual operation of the key 322, or it may be turned off by a connection to the remote control device, or it may be turned ofi by the program device. In direct manual operation the key 322 is pushed in to move a pivoted arm 348 inward until a clearance 349 in the lever 338 is brought opposite the end of the arm 348 whereupon a spring 353 will swing the arm 338 and carry the pawl 33'! out of engagement with the lug 343 and allow the arm 329 to be swung by a spring 354 until the lug 343 engages a laterally projecting stop 355 to arrest the arm 329. When the arm 329 is arrested by the lug 355 the switch contacts 335 and 336 will have been separated to open the circuits through the coil 326 and the main line circuit, and the key 32! will have been returned to its undepressed position.

In turning the set off from the remote control, a remote control key 36! is depressed to close a circuit through the magnet 362. When the magnet is energized its armature, carried by the pivoted arm 343, will be drawn toward the magnet and release the arm 338 in the same way as previously described in connection with the manual or hand operation of the key 322.

The control from the program device over the off key 322 includes the outer one of the con centric rings 6! embedded in the disc 62. When one of the sliding station selector contacts 45 is moved to the outer end of its bar it will rest above the outer ring 6! and when the contact 13 comes in line with the associated contact or conductor bar 44 a circuit will be established which will include the magnet 362 thereby causing the magnet to act upon the armature carried by the arm 343 to pull the off key in. and release the on key to open the circuits in the same way as previously described in explaining a hand operation of the off key 322.

The mechanism as so far explained has to do with station selecting and volume control in one way or another. The radio receiving mechanism proper has not been explained, but the connection is indicated conventionally at 315, Fig. 20.

In order to prevent any disturbing noise from the loud speaker, when shifting from one station to another, for instance, the cycle drum 22! carries a short segment 316 which operates a switch 31'! to hold the switch closed between operations of the cycle drum. As soon as the cycle drum begins to turn the segment 376 is with drawn and the circuit through the loud speaker opened, the circuit remaining open until the completion of the rotation of the cycle drum.

Assuming that the receiving set is off, that is, for example, in the condition which exists when the key 322 is pressed in, the set may be turned on by the clock alarm mechanism represented conventionally at 355 (Fig. 20). Previous to this the program devices will have been adjusted to set up a program, and the program table adjusted to set opposite the arrow 38! the time division on the indicator 39 which corresponds with the setting of the alarm mechanism of the clock. When the clock reaches that period of time the switch 356 will be closed and the receiving set trned on in the manner previously described. The clock 25 is, of course, running continuously and the electric eye mechanism will be operated at each 15 minute period to actuate the feed pawl 16 (Fig. 6). In the event that the receiving set is turned onv manually between the beginning and the end of a fifteen minute period the delayed start key 248 can be used. This will actuate the feed pawl i6 and cause a rotation of the cycle drum 22! to operate the selector arm !!5 and volume control arm ll5A under control of the switch 265 to eiTect the proper setting for the broadcasting station brought in by the adjustment of the contact 45 which is in alignment with the contact 73. established by the adjustable contact 45 the arms !!5 and !!5A are set to correspond with the adjustment of the contact 45 and the brakes previously described are then rendered effective to hold the arms in position. In other words, depression of the delayed start key 248 has the same effect throughout as an impulse produced by light from the lamp 28 striking the selenium cell 32.

The construction and operation of the program device of Figs. l, 5 and 6 have been explained in detail. In setting up the program, the adjustable contacts 45 are adjusted with respect to the index or indicator 42 and the disc 35 turned a step at a time after each contact is adjusted. The program device may be mounted on any suitable support separate from the radio receiving set or it may be mounted on or made a part of the enclosing cabinet for the set. After a program has been set up the disc 35 should be turned Through the connection a The remote control device also includes keys 325 manually so that the first station which will be brought in by the electric eye or by the key 248, is represented by the slide 45 and conductor bar 44 resting opposite the arrow 38I (Fig. 4). When the pawl 16 is operated either by depression of the delayed start key 248 or by a light ray striking the selenium cell 32 the contact 13 will be brought into engagement with the bar 44 opposite the arrow and the electrical connections for that broadcasting station will be made effective.

If it is desired to control the selection of stations by hand, that is, independently of the program device, the keys 300 may be used for station selecting and the receiving set turned on or off by means of the keys 32I and 322. Operation of the keys 300 will effect the adjustment of the station selection and volume control arms H5 and USA in the same way as though they were controlled by the sliding contacts 45 of the program device.

The remote control device above referred to may be a set of simple key operated contacts for closing circuits through the solenoids or magnets associated with the keys 300, MI and 322 on the receiving set. In other words, the remote control key board is at some distance from the receiving set as, for example, in another room, and is connected electrically to the station selecting and volume controlling mechanism through the solenoids 303 for operating the keys 300 to cause the keys to close the collection of switches opposite the ends of each key. That is to say, operation of the remote control keys 300A will effect operation of the keys 300 in. the same way as though the later keys were pushed in by hand.

and 36| which may operate on off switches directly but which are preferably connected to operate either the magnets 326 or 362 associated respectively with the on and oil? keys 32! and 322.

While the construction and operation of the specific embodiment have been gone into in considerable detail, it is not the desire to be limited by the embodiment or its description except as defined in the claims which follow and form a part of this specification.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising volume control devices, a member connected to the volume control devices and movable to control the volume, a set of stops for said member, means for selectively setting the stops, means for moving the member until arrested by a set stop to determine the volume, a movable support for the stops, and devices comprising a manually operable member for moving said support and the stops thereon to regulate the volume.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, combination with the station selecting devices of the receiving set, of a clock, a program device comprising a manually adjustable device for each of a number of time intervals to determine the station to be brought in during each of said intervals, a swinging arm connected to the station selecting devices and means controlled by the clock for swinging said arm in either direction from a neutral position, springs for returning said arm to neutral position, devices controlled by the clock for holding the arm in adjusted position against the tension of the springs during a predetermined time interval, and means also controlled by the clock to release the holding means at the end of the time interval.

3. In an apparatus of the character described,

a time clock, a slotted disc turned by the clock,

a lamp, a selenium cell in position to receive a light beam from the lamp passing through the slots in the disc, a program device comprising manually adjustable elements for setting up a program of broadcasting stations, station selecting devices for a radio receiving set, and means connected to said selecting devices and actuated under the control of the selenium cell for adjusting the station selecting devices to correspond with the adjustable elements of the program device.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a time clock, a perforated disc turned by the clock, a lamp, a selenium cell in position to receive a light beam from the lamp passing through the perforations in the disc, perforated members through which the light beam also passes, one of which members is adjustable to regulate the time of exposure of the selenium cell to the beam, a program device comprising manually adjustable elements for setting up a program of broadcasting stations, station selecting devices for a radio receiving set, and means controlled by the selenium cell for adjusting the station selecting devices to correspond with the positions of the manually adjustable elements of the program device.

5. A control apparatus for a radio receiving set comprising station selecting devices, devices for controlling the volume, switches for rendering said selecting and volume control devices effective and ineffective, a motor, a cycle drum turned a rotation at a time by each operation of the motor, switches controlling the extent of rotation of the cycle drum, and switch operating cams on the drum for controlling all of the aforesaid switches.

6. A control apparatus for a radio receiving set comprising station selecting devices, devices for controlling the volume, brakes for holding the selecting devices and volume control in various positions of adjustment, switches controlling said brakes, a switch for shutting off the receiving set while the selecting and volume control devices are being adjusted, switches operable to render the selecting and volume control devices effective and ineffective, a motor, a cycle drum driven by the motor, and switch operating cams on the drum for closing and releasing all of the aforesaid switches in a predetermined time relation.

7. The combination with a radio receiving set provided with station selecting devices and volume control, of a control apparatus for automatically selecting stations and regulating the volume comprising a motor, a cycle drum driven by the motor, segmental cams on the drum controlling operations of the volume control and station selecting devices, a clock and a program device controlling operations of the motor, and means comprising a manually operable key for effecting operations of the motor independently of the clock and program device.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a radio receiving set provided with station selecting devices, a loud speaker and devices for controlling the volume, of a control apparatus for automatically selecting stations and regulating the volume comprising a clock, a program device including a rotatable disk and manually adjustable station selecting elements adjustable on said disk, a fixed contact, the disk being rotatable to-bring any element in line with said contact, connections established by the element through said element to the aforesaid control apparatus, and means controlled by the clock for actuating the disk to bring successive elements in line with the stationary contact.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the station selecting devices of a radio receiving set, a program device comprising a dial, a circuit member carried on the dial for each broadcasting station, a slidably mounted manually adjustable device mounted on the dial, one for each of a plurality of time intervals and each adjustable to engage any of said circuit members to set up a predetermined selection of stations, a clock, means for adjusting the station selecting devices periodically under control of the clock and the adjustable devices, means for maintaining the selecting devices in adjusted position independently of the clock during time intervals not represented by a manually adjustable device, a circuit member on the dial connected to a switch for shutting off the receiving set when one of the manually adjustable devices is in contact with the said switch connected circuit member and other circuit connections to the switch closed by adjustment of any of the aforesaid manually adjustable members.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising radio station selecting mechanism, a clock, a lamp, a selenium cell, a disk rotated by the clock between said lamp and said cell and having slots spaced apart distances representing units of time, said station selecting mechanism including a motor, and an operating electrical circuit for the motor energized when light from the lamp passing through a slot in the disk strikes the selenium cell.

11. An apparatus or" the character described comprising radio station selecting mechanism, a clock, a lamp, a selenium cell, a disk rotated by the clock between said lamp and said cell and having slots spaced apart distances representing units of time, said station selecting mechanism including a motor, an electrical circuit for energiing the motor connected to and energized when the selenium cell receives li ht from the lamp through the slots in the disk, a switch in said circuit, a magnet energized to operate the switch when the light strikes the selenium cell, and means driven by the motor for holding the switch closed until the selection of a station has been effected and then releasing the switch to break the circuit.

12. An apparatus of the character described comprising radio station selecting mechanism, a clock, a lamp, a selenium cell, a disk between said lamp and said cell driven by the clock and having slots through the disk spaced apart distances representing units of time, said station selecting mechanism. including a motor an electrical circuit for energizing the motor including a switch for closing the motor power circuit, a magnet for operating the switch connected to and energized when the selenium cell receives light from the lamp through the slots in the disk, and an adjustable slotted member between the lamp and the selenium cell for regulating the time duration or" the light through the slots in the disk.

13. An apparatus of the character described comprising radio station selecting mechanism, a clock, a program device comprising a manually movable support and station selecting devices manually adjustable on said support to set up a program of stations to be heard over a period of time, said radio station selecting circuits being controlled by the manually adjustable devices on the movable support, a single contact common to said circuits, the movable support and said contact being relatively movable manually to establish a program relation between the manually adjustable devices on said support and the single contact, and means controlled by the clock [or thereafter effecting a periodic relative movement of the contact and the movable support to effect station selection.

14. An apparatus of the character described comprising radio station selecting mechanism, a clock, a lamp, a selenium cell, a disk rotated by the clock between said lamp and said cell and having slots spaced apart distances representing units of time, said station selecting devices including a motor, an electrical circuit for energizing the motor connected to and energized when the selenium cell receives light from the lamp through the slots in the disk, connections including a switch for maintaining an operating circuit through the motor, and means including a cam turned by the motor for holding said switch closed until the motor has completed a cycle of movement.

15. An apparatus of the character described comprising the radio station selecting mechanism and volume control devices of a radio receiving set, a member connected to the volume control devices and movable to actuate said devices to control the volume, a set of magnetically operable stops for variably controlling movements of said member to determine the volume according to the station selected including a single stop common to certain stations having the same volume, and means for operating said single stop including a plurality of magnetic coil windings associated with said single stop and separately energized according to the station selected to operate the stop. F

16. In an apparatus of the character described, an automatic program device comprising a clock, a movable support divided into sections each marked to indicate a time interval, a radio station selecting device mounted on the support in each section and comprising a manually adjustable element for determining the station to be heard during the indicated time interval, the adjustment of the elements setting up a program of stations to be heard successively during a plurality of time intervals, a contact member common to the sections, the movable support and said contact member being relatively movable to establish the time relation between the program set up and the clock, means controlled by the clock for eifecting a step of relative movement of the movable support and the contact member for each time interval whereby to establish successively electrical contacts between the contact member and the station selecting devices in successive sections of the support, and a radio station selecting mechanism electrically operated through said contact and the manually adjustable elements according to the setting of the manally adjustable elements in the successive sections of the aforesaid movable support.

1'7. In an apparatus of the character described, an automatic program device comprising a clock, a movable support divided into sections each marked to indicate a time interval, a radio station selecting device mounted on the support in each section and comprising a manually adjustable element for determining the station to be heard during the indicated time interval, the adjustment of the elements setting up a program of stations to be heard successively during a plurality of time intervals, a contact member common to the sections, the movable support and said contact member being relatively movable to establish the time relation between the program set up and the clock, means controlled by the clock for effecting a step of relative movement of the support and the contact member at the end of each time interval, a radio station selecting mechanism operated electrically through said contact and the manually adjustable elements according to the settings of said elements, a key, and connections controlled by said key independently of the clock for efiecting relative movements of the movable support and the contact.

HENRY A. FRITZ. 

